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As a football player, your goal is to build strength, speed and quickness. You can do all of these things using training methods that can be done from home. It’s best to use these workouts in the offseason to avoid over-training. All you need to get started is a football, comfortable running shoes and preferably a cardio machine and weight bench with weights. Be sure to stretch before each workout, and drink plenty of water throughout the day.

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Speed Exercises

Increasing your speed on the field is important for football players at any position. You can do this at home by using your treadmill, stationary bike or running in-place. Instead of jogging for long periods of time, sprint for short intervals to help build your fast-twitch muscle response in your legs. These are the muscle fibers responsible for speed and quickness. Most treadmills offer built-in interval training programs. Another option is to run in place at a high intensity for short 30 second intervals; 10 to 20 of them with 20 to 30 seconds of rest in between is an effective workout. Cradle a football while you workout to simulate running on the field.

Strength Training

You can increase overall strength by using a three-day-a-week workout schedule designed by MuscleandStrength.com specifically for football players. This is a Monday, Wednesday, Friday full-body strength training regimen. Do three to four sets of each exercise in this order: squats, upright row, wide grip pull-ups, incline bench press, close grip bench press, military press, barbell curls and decline weighted sit-ups. You can alternatively use simple resistance training exercises to help build strength. For instance, swap out bench press for push-ups and do inverted shoulder presses while leaning against a wall in place of military press.

Increase Quickness and Agility

Build quickness and agility using simple foot-speed workouts. Get a timer/stopwatch to help you keep track of the 30 second intervals you will be using. Start the timer and begin by doing 30 seconds of fast jumping-jacks. After 30 seconds, rest for 20 to 30 seconds, and then immediately start 30 seconds of the quick-feet drill – alternate lifting your feet a few inches off the ground as quickly as you can while keeping your knees slightly bent. Continue this rest-and-work cycle by doing high-knees in-place as well as hamstring kick-backs. The high-knees exercise requires you to run in-place while lifting your knees as high as possible; this works your quadriceps and hip flexor muscles. Hamstring kick-backs are similar to high-knees but you kick your feet back as if you were trying to kick yourself in the butt; this works your hamstrings and glutes. Do these exercises at a high intensity 3 to 5 times to complete the workout.

Build Endurance

Endurance is important because it can help simulate playing in the fourth quarter. You can build your endurance many different ways. At home you could jog on the treadmill for 30 to 60 minutes at a moderate pace, work the stationary bike, elliptical machine or simply jog in place. Weather permitting, it’s best to jog outside to simulate the weather conditions during an outdoor football game. Increase your time spent on your endurance training from week to week to maintain a steady increase in your aerobic capacity.

2 Responses to Football Workouts That Are Easy to Do at Home

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